


Twelve Days of Christmas

by nothingbutajunkie



Category: All For The Game - Nora Sakavic
Genre: Christmas fic, How Do I Tag, M/M, Marriage Proposal, NICKY IS JUST NOT IN THIS IM SORRY, Neil being a top tier dumbass, Twelve Days Of Christmas, help him, mentioned Renison, this is just fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-25
Updated: 2019-12-25
Packaged: 2021-02-26 00:41:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,283
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21954556
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nothingbutajunkie/pseuds/nothingbutajunkie
Summary: Neil didn’t understand why Andrew was suddenly giving him all these gifts.
Relationships: Neil Josten/Andrew Minyard
Comments: 20
Kudos: 355





	Twelve Days of Christmas

**Author's Note:**

> Ah, okay. This is my first fic! I had this idea stuck in my head since October, and I didn’t see any fics like this so I just did it myself haha. This was only supposed to be about 1k but nothing ever really goes according to plan. Any comments and tips are appreciated :)

Neil Josten never saw Christmas as something to look forward to.

He never had time to stop and look at presents when he was on the run with his mom. Mary Wesninski would always scold him or pull him away by his hair if he stopped too long to look at the toys displayed in the windows of shops they passed.

Neil’s first Christmas at Palmetto wasn’t even at Palmetto. He was in his fourth year at Palmetto now, and barely remembered the pain and torture he felt at Evermore.

The first time Neil celebrated Christmas with the foxes was overwhelming. Allison had to drag him around from shop to shop with Nicky on his heel, trying to explain all the Christmas traditions.

He participated in the Secret Santa with the foxes and had gotten Dan some orange knee socks with fox ears at the top from the Palmetto spirit store. Neil got the upperclassmen apparel from the spirit store too, and t-shirts for him and Matt that said “Work” and “Bitch” in matching fonts. If Matt cried a little, no one had to know.

The second time Christmas came around at Palmetto, Dan, Renee and Allison had graduated in the spring and left the boys behind. Aaron and Matt came over to Kevin, Andrew, Nicky and Neil’s dorm for a Christmas movie marathon. Neil had opted to stare at Andrew instead of watching the movies which rewarded him with one or two “ _Staring_ ” ‘s. Neil didn’t mind.

Neil’s fourth year might be one of his loneliest years. Matt and Kevin had graduated, Nicky had flown back to Germany to be with Erik for the break, and Neil and the twins were still at Palmetto. Aaron had moved back into Andrew and Neil’s dorm, choosing to be annoyed over staying with the baby foxes. Robin was welcome to come and go as she pleased and would probably dorm with Neil when the twins graduated.

Neil didn’t want to think about Andrew graduating. He wouldn’t ever admit it, but Andrew was his answer. He didn’t care what Andrew thought about it, or how Allison looked at him funny if he mooned over Andrew when they Skyped.

Andrew was his home. Andrew was his family. Andrew was a four letter word that Neil didn’t dare saying aloud. A word that tugged at his heart and made his stomach tumble and turn.

The sound of a door slamming shut interrupted Neil and his thoughts and Andrew walked in, as if he could sense Neil thinking dumb thoughts.

“Hey.” Neil said to Andrew who had walked over to the kitchen to help himself to a tub of ice cream. Andrew hummed in acknowledgment as he rummaged the drawers for a spoon. Neil smiled and turned back to his forgotten math homework on his desk.

The two sat in silence. Neil worked on his math and Andrew worked on finishing the tub of ice cream in one sitting. If Kevin were still at Palmetto, he would most likely have had an aneurysm trying to talk to Andrew about his sugar intake.

Neil didn’t know how long the two had sat there, but when Andrew stood up from one of the beanbag chairs, Neil looked out the window to see that the sky had become dark and the night was quiet.

Andrew retreated to the bedroom without a word and closed the door almost all the way, just slightly wide enough that Neil heard some shuffling through the opening.

Neil returned to his homework. There was a tap on his shoulder. Andrew was standing beside him with his arm outstretched. In the palm of his hand was something small.

“What’s this?” Neil asked, looking at the object in Andrew’s palm.

“Gift.”

“Oh?”

Andrew nodded and walked back over to the beanbag chairs, clearly ending the conversation.

Neil looked at the small item curiously. It looked like a chocolate of some sort. The chocolate was shaped like a bird and the wrapping was a light brown with small details. A partridge.

“What is it?” asked Neil.

“Chocolate.” replied Andrew.

“I see that, but why?” Neil turned around in his seat to face Andrew who was looking up at the ceiling.

Silence stretched across the dorm so Neil stuffed the chocolate in his pocket and assumed Andrew had fallen asleep. Just as Neil finished his homework Andrew replied.

“Merry Christmas.”

The chocolate seemed heavy in Neil’s pocket. Neil tried to fight the smile coming to his face but lost to giddy as warmth washed over him.

“Is that today? I guess I forgot without Matt or Nicky to remind me. I didn’t get you anything, sorry.” Neil said softly.

“Of course you would forget, junkie. Your head’s always filled with exy crap. You’re no better than Kevin.” scoffed Andrew, still looking up at the ceiling.

Neil huffed out a laugh. “This is kind of a shit Christmas gift though, don’t you think?”

“Fuck off.” came the reply.

“Yes or no?” the question lingered in the air for a few moments before Andrew turned his head to look at Neil.

“Yes” the answer was soft and Neil’s heart fluttered.

Neil smiled and got up from his chair and kneeled in front of Andrew’s beanbag chair.

As they kissed, Neil swore he felt Andrew’s mouth twitch upwards, just a little bit.

***

“Again? I thought Christmas was yesterday” Neil asked after Andrew shoved two bird shaped chocolates in Neil’s palm the next day.

“I don’t need all these partridge chocolates Andrew.” Neil continued.

“I don’t even like sweets that much.”

“They’re not partridges. They’re turtle doves.” Andrew said, walking out of the dorm, slamming the door behind him.

 _Okay?_ Neil thought to himself as he set the chocolates aside. He got his bag ready for the day and made a mental note to ask Andrew about it later.

***

“Andrew why do you keep giving me chocolate birds?”

It’s not that Neil didn’t appreciate the gifts that Andrew was giving him. Every gift he got from Andrew meant the world to him. The keys, the truths, the kisses, even these chocolates. But Neil didn’t understand why the number of chocolates seemed to be increasing, even after he told Andrew that he didn’t like chocolate.

Andrew threw three more chocolates at him. Chocolate hens today. Andrew, of course, only gave Neil a bored stare and replied “Gift.”

“Andrew, it’s not Christmas anymore.”

“Would you like a gold star for that astute observation Josten?” Andrew rolled his eyes.

“I’m not complaining I’m just kind of confused.”

“What a damn shame.” Andrew left it at that and made his routine exit out of the dorm.

Neil sighed and collected his things and followed Andrew out of the dorm.

***

“Robin I’m starting to think he’s trying to bribe me into getting a pet bird or something.” Neil said exasperatedly as he moved the four new chocolate birds off of his desk, and onto the floor with his arm.

“I thought you two were planning on getting a cat?” Robin asked, picking up one of the fallen chocolates.

“Yeah, we were. I’m not gonna say anything because if he wants something, he’ll ask me.”

“It’s a calling bird.” said Robin inspecting the chocolate.

“I mean, I’m fine with whatever Andrew wants as long as he keeps getting you these chocolates. I don’t know where they’re from, but they’re pretty good.” Robin popped the chocolate in her mouth.

Neil picked up the black wrapping paper that Robin threw on the ground and tossed it in the garbage.

 _Whatever_ , he thought, _Andrew knows what he’s doing, and I’m not one to push Andrew to talk if he doesn’t want to_.

***

“There’s six today.” Neil said to Andrew, holding the chocolate geese in his hand.

“So there are.” Andrew remarked, taking his ice cream tub out of the grocery bag, and kicking the plastic bag under the bed.

“Am I supposed to know what’s going on or do you plan on staying quiet?” Neil asked, raising an eyebrow at Andrew.

“I plan on staying quiet” Andrew raised an eyebrow back at Neil.

“Andrew I may be the math major here, but you do know that 5 comes after 4, not 6. Right?”

“Is that so? Well, thank you for the math lesson Josten.” Andrew rolled his eyes at him as he opened the window and took his pack of cigarettes and lighter out of his pocket.

Neil left Andrew to his smoking and went to the kitchen to get himself a sandwich from the fridge.

He poured two cups of coffee for himself and Andrew while he waited for his sandwich to warm up in the microwave. Neil added nothing to his, which Andrew found disgusting, and an excessive amount of sugar to Andrew’s, which Neil found disgusting.

Neil sipped his coffee as he waited for Andrew to come back from his smoke. When Andrew walked in, he scrunched his nose in disgust at Neil’s drink before picking up his mug with both hands.

They drank their coffee in silence, enjoying each other’s company.

“It’s New Year's Eve tomorrow.” Neil said, breaking the silence. Andrew only hummed in agreement.

“Who are you kissing when the bell drops?” asked Neil with a slight smirk.

“Don’t ask stupid questions.” Andrew rolled his eyes before tossing his head back to finish off his coffee.

Andrew rinsed his mug in the sink before sitting up on the counter and beckoning Neil forward.

“Yes or no?”

Neil shifted forwards and placed himself in between Andrew’s legs. He placed his almost empty mug to the side, putting his hands on the counter, careful not to touch Andrew.

“A bit early, isn’t it?” Teasing Andrew has earned him a death wish long ago, but Neil was always known to play with fire.

Andrew’s glare contradicted the way he pulled Neil closer, tenderly, as if he were a delicate piece of glass that would shatter at any moment.

“Yes. Always.”

Andrew’s retort was in the soft bite to Neil’s nose before their lips slotted together.

Neil forgot about his sandwich.

***

The seven swan chocolates on Neil’s desk were long forgotten as Neil and Andrew stumbled into the bedroom, lips on each other, hands roaming each other’s bodies like the addicts they were.

All thoughts were blocked out by the loud booming of fireworks in the night sky, the big zero on the tv screen surrounded by flashing lights and the new year displayed across the picture.

***

Neil was disappointed to see Aaron walk in to their dorm room instead of Andrew.

“I come bearing gifts.” Aaron all but hurdled eight miniature chocolates towards Neil, who only caught one and was hit by the other seven.

“That was very unnecessary.” Neil said, chucking one of the chocolates back at Aaron’s head.

Aaron smoothly dodged it. “It was very necessary.”

Neil rolled his eyes and turned the chocolate around in his fingers. He was a little shocked to see that the chocolates today weren’t birds, but little women who seemed to be holding buckets filled with milk.

“Did the shop run out of bird chocolates or something? Or maybe Andrew got tired of birds.” Neil shrugged and gathered the chocolates in his hand so he could save them for Robin.

“The fuck are you talking about, Josten?” Aaron looked just about as confused as Neil felt.

“He’s been giving me more and more chocolates since Christmas. And everyday it was a different kind of bird. I don’t know why, though.”

Neil didn’t understand why Aaron put his head in his hands and groaned.

“Josten, Neil, _oh my god_ , what kind of birds were they?” Aaron looked at Neil from the gaps between his fingers.

“Why? Feeling bad that you didn’t get Katelyn a Christmas gift like these? I bet you forgot to get her anything at all.”

“Shut up, of course I got her something. That’s none of your business. Just tell me what the chocolates were Josten, godammit.”

“Ugh, fine. It was a partridge on Christmas Day, and then calling birds, and then turtle doves, and the-”

“What did he get you on the fifth day?”, Aaron cut Neil off. His voice sounded uninterested, but his eyes narrowed in suspicion.

“He got me six chocolate geese. I’m not really sure why he got me six instead of five, but it’s not like I’m eating the chocolate anyways.”

Aaron was silent for a moment before he stood up abruptly.

“I’m going to go look for Andrew. Don’t summon another mob boss while you’re alone.”

“Funny.” Neil said dryly.

Aaron courteously shot a middle finger up in the air as he walked out of the dorm, not bothering to close the door behind him.

Neil sighed and got up to go close the door, maybe even lock it if Aaron came back soon.

***

“You’ve moved on from birds to women then?” Neil waved a chocolate in front of Andrew’s face. Today it was a lady who seemed to be dancing on the wrapping paper.

Andrew was laying down on the couch, reading a book. He merely glanced at the chocolate from behind his glasses before his eyes returned to his page. Neil huffed at Andrew’s apathy and instead attempted to stack the chocolates on top of each other to cure his boredom.

“So did you get these from one of those advent calendars or something? You seem to just have these on hand. Are they stashed somewhe- ah, fuck” Neil groaned as his tower made of three chocolates tumbled onto the floor.

“Advent calendars have one chocolate for each day of the month, dumbass. If you really are a math major, you would know that there’s been more than 31 chocolates already.”

Andrew paused before continuing.

“If they were from an advent calendar, the wrapping would be different and you would have gotten chocolate on the first day of December, not Christmas. Also, it’s January you fucking idiot.”

Andrew sighed and closed his book. He moved his glasses on top of his head so Neil could see his glare a bit better.

“You could always tell me what you’re up to, you know.” Neil turned his body so he was fully facing Andrew, tilting his head up.

“Where’s the fun in that?” Andrew flicked Neil’s forehead before getting off of the couch and heading to the from door.

Neil didn’t miss the soft “214%” before the door was slammed shut.

***

Neil struggled to keep the ten chocolates in his pocket as he walked to the campus library. He wanted to see if he could find any books on “My Boyfriend Has Been Giving Me Chocolates For The Last Two Weeks And I Don’t Know Why” or at least something along those lines.

Today’s chocolates features men in large robes draped across their shoulders. Why Andrew already had a change of heart for the theme of his gifted chocolates, Neil couldn’t say.

As if life wanted to remind Neil of how clueless he was, Neil missed the second step up to the library and fell onto the stone beneath him. Neil groaned at both the pain under his chin, and at the feeling of squashed chocolates in his front pockets.

“Shit.”

“Oh my god Neil, are you okay?”

Katelyn was staring down at Neil from inside the library doors, books in one arm, the door open with her other. She offered her hand to Neil to help him up, keeping the door open with her shoulder.

“I’m fine.” Neil let Katelyn pull him up and brushed himself off.

“I’ve heard that isn’t a good thing.” Katelyn jabbed playfully and Neil who gave her a look in return.

“I’m okay. Just some unwanted chocolate pudding in my shorts.” Neil gestured to the brown stains in his khakis.

Katelyn only looked at Neil for a bit. Her face changing from confused to sympathetic.

“Well that just won’t do, will it? You’re coming with me to my dorm. I think I’ve got some shorts in your size.” Katelyn grinned at Neil and pointed a finger in the general direction of the dorms.

“Are you sure? Won’t Aaron mind? I don’t want to intrude or anything.” Neil sputtered. He was a bit nervous about running into Aaron, now that he knew Aaron most likely had an idea about what Andrew was doing

“It’s Wednesday so he’s at those weekly sessions with Andrew and Bee remember? He won’t even know you were there.” Katelyn says, her smile becoming increasingly devilish.

 _Oh yeah, that’s right_ , Neil thought. _It’ll only be ten minutes or so_.

Neil let Katelyn pull him along, accepting that he wouldn’t be finding a book on “Strange Boyfriend Behaviour” anytime soon.

***

Today’s chocolates were Irish men playing the bagpipes, the wrapping a bright red and green. It was the 10th day that Neil had gotten these chocolates from Andrew and he decided he was going to ask someone, anyone, about Andrew’s unusual gifts.

Last Christmas, before leaving, Kevin had insisted that Andrew and Neil get new smartphones and throw away their “stupid dad phones”. Neil rolled his eyes at the thought and opened Kevin’s contact to text said man.

Neil turned his phone off and tossed it onto the bed after sending a quick summary about what was happening, and went to go put a sweater on since it was a little chilly in the dorm.

Neil came back to the bed to a wall of text from Kevin, lighting his phone up and then off again. Kevin was about as helpful as expected, not giving a shit about Andrew’s actions but instead about their sugar intake. Neil promptly muted Kevin’s text messages and decided to ask Renee instead.

Renee sent a reply after a couple of minutes, saying that he should just wait a few more days to see if it would stop or not.

Well Renee did know best after all.

He figured he would try to call Matt, both since he wondered if Matt would know anything and it had been awhile since Neil talked to his best friend.

Matt didn’t pick up so Neil left it at the missed call.

***

“I just don’t get it!” Neil exclaimed as he set his laptop down onto his desk so he could see Matt, Dan, Allison and Renee more clearly. The twelve chocolates with drummers on the wrapping paper were shoved further back onto the desk.

“Alright honey, calm down. Tell us what’s going on.” Allison shushed Neil with a grin on her face.

Matt had texted Neil the next morning and explained that he and Dan had gone to pick Renee and Allison up from the airport and left his phone at home.

He told Neil that he would Skype him later in the morning with everyone back at their apartment awake and willing to listen.

“Well, Andrew’s been acting weird.” Neil pouted slightly as he got comfortable on his chair.

“Weird, how? Is he hurting you? If he’s hurting you, I’m not afraid to hurt him back. I don’t care how crazy he is, I’ll-”

“Dan, no it’s okay! He’s not hurting me don’t worry! It’s the opposite actually.” Neil cut off Dan quickly before she could get angry and do anything impulsive.

“He’s been getting me chocolate everyday since Christmas. And everyday, he gets me more and more chocolate. I don’t even like chocolate! I told him that, and he keeps getting me chocolate. Robin liked them though, so I guess it works out. I just want to kno-”

“Neil, buddy, broski-” Matt cut Neil off.

“Broski?”

“My man, my number 1, my world-”

“My jersey number isn't 1, what are you talking about?” Neil was lost.

“He’s hopeless.” Matt said as he left the frame with his hands on his face.

Dan seemed to have calmed down and got up after Matt with a warm smile on her face.

“Neil, have you ever heard of the Christmas carol, the ‘Twelve Days of Christmas’?” Renee asked Neil in a soft voice.

“Of course he hasn’t! He’s such a disaster. But that’s why we love him, babe.” Allison snorted as she played with the pastel edges of Renee’s hair.

Renee smiled sweetly and raised her hands in defeat, letting Allison take control of the conversation.

“Listen here, Neil. If we’re right, Andrew is probably giving you chocolates because of that Christmas song. I can’t believe that even the monster has a soft side.”

“Don’t call him that, Allison.” Neil countered.

“Alright, sorry.” Allison raised her eyebrows at Neil through the screen.

“I’m curious though. What chocolates did he get you?” She leaned back in the chair and put one leg on top of the other.

“Well, he got me a chocolate partridge on the first day. And then two chocolate turtle doves, three chocolate hens, and four calling birds. Then he got me six chocolate geese, seven cho-”

“Six geese?” Even through the laptop, Allison’s voice was loud and erupted in Neil’s eardrums.

“Be _quiet_. And yeah, I don’t know why he gave me six instead of five.” Neil angled his head to the side, trying to get some hearing back.

Allison sighed.

“I feel like it’s not my place to say, even though I want to SO BADLY. But, I think you should search up the song and listen to it yourself. It might clear things up a little bit for you.” She gave him a bright grin as she ran her hands through her hair.

“Yeah, maybe I’ll do th-” Neil stopped short as he heard the door behind him open and shut.

Andrew walked in seconds later, a coffee tray with two cups in his hands, looking bored.

“Well speak of the devil. We were just talking about you Minyard.” Allison gave Andrew a smug smile from the laptop.

“And now you aren’t.” Andrew said as he closed the laptop with his free hand.

He offered the coffee tray to Neil and went back to the entrance to take his coat off.

“That wasn’t very nice, you know.” Neil called after him, placing the two cups of coffee on his desk.

Andrew gave a hum in agreement.

He came back to Neil and stopped in front of him.

“Yes or no?” Andrew crossed his arms.

Neil grinned. He could search up the Christmas song tomorrow.

“Yes.”

***

Andrew didn’t give him any chocolate today. Neil figured he was done with his silent antics now. It had been going on for 11 days after all.

Neil sat up in bed. He said fuck it and opened his laptop. He was going to find out what was up with Andrew.

Allison’s suggestion rung in his head. It wouldn’t hurt to search up a Christmas carol, would it?

Neil went onto YouTube and typed in ‘Twelve Days of Christmas’. The screen became filled with Christmas videos and cartoons. He clicked the first video he saw and listened.

_On the first day of Christmas,_  
_my true love sent to me,_  
_A partridge in a pear tree_

_On the second day of Christmas,_  
_My true love sent to me,_  
_Two turtle doves,_  
_And a partridge in a pear tree_

Neil listened to the verses, confused.

These were the chocolates that Andrew had given to him.

 _True love?_ Neil’s thoughts were getting more and more scrambled by the second.

_On the fifth day of Christmas,_  
_My true love sent to me,_  
_Five golden rings,_  
_Four calling birds,_  
_Three french hens,_  
_Two turtle doves,_  
_And a partridge in a pear tree_

_Andrew skipped day 5_ , Neil thought to himself.

_Why?_

“Turn that shit off, junkie.” Andrew’s voice ran through the dorm.

Neil turned with a start. He hadn’t heard Andrew enter the dorm. Andrew was standing in the door frame of the bedroom. He was standing with his arms crossed. And his ears were slightly tinted pink. No one else would have noticed. But Neil and Andrew had mapped out each other’s bodies in the last three years. They traded a truth for a truth. Neil knew Andrew better than anyone else.

“Why did you skip the fifth day?” Neil asked him softly.

Andrew only stared at Neil.

The silence stretched on until Andrew shifted his stance.

“I didn’t.” He tossed something at Neil before walking away from the room.

Andrew hadn’t gotten him chocolate today.

The ‘something’ that Andrew threw at Neil was a small velvet box. Neil opened it slowly.

Neil’s heart caught in his throat.

The ring was a simple gold band. It wasn’t anything special. But it meant the world to Neil.

He got up from the bed and went to the couch area where Andrew was, ring and box in hand.

“Andrew.” Neil knew he sounded as choked up as he felt.

Andrew wasn’t looking at him.

“Yes or no, Neil?” Andrew asked him.

“You haven’t asked me anything yet, Andrew.” Neil said with a soft smile.

If Neil’s answer bothered him, Andrew didn’t show it.

With a sigh, Andrew made his way over to Neil and took the box from his hand.

“I’m only going to do this once.” Andrew said as he kneeled one the ground in front of Neil.

“Marry me Neil, yes or no?” Andrew’s ears were pink again.

Neil didn’t try to stop the tears that were threatening to spill over his cheeks.

“Yes. Always. Yes yes _yes ye_ -“

Andrew effectively cut him off by grabbing his hand.

He slid on the ring and stood up, not letting go of Neil’s hand.

“We’re not having a big wedding.” Andrew said.

“Thank god.” Neil’s smile grew impossibly wider.

“So, where are the other four rings?” Neil asked.

“I want a divorce.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading! If there’s anything I can fix, or if you have any comments, please let me know! :)
> 
> Come yell at me on [Tumblr](https://junkieofnothing.tumblr.com/) if you want.


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